Invalid-bed.



G. ARRIGUNI.

INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 22. I918.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET G. ARRIGONI.

INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, I918.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

STATES GUIDO ARRIGONI, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA;

INVALID-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919..

Application filed July 22, 1918. Serial No. 246,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUIDO Anmooni, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at St. Paul, 391 E. 8th St, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in adjustable invalid beds and more particularly to a type adaptable for hospital service.

An object of the invention is to provide means in a bed conveniently operable by the occupant thereof, whereby, from a normal recumbent position he may raise himself to a reclining or sitting posture without undue exertion.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable body supporting device, operable to be adjusted by the occupant thereof from a normal recumbent position so he may selectively control the posture to be assumed by the lower limbs after having raised himself to a sitting posture.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in a body supporting device whereby the occupant thereof may gradually raise or lower himself by short repeated reciprocatory movements of the forearm,

' the device comprising pivotally joined part-s,

pivotally suspended as a whole and substantially balanced so as to yield at its pivots to the slightest bending movement of the body of the occupant.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of same,

Fig. 3 is a partially diagrammatic side view of a portion of the invention difi'erently adjusted from positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Figs. 4, 5 and Gare enlarged perspective views of details,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the braces showing its relation to the bed spring, and

Fig.8 is a, diagrammatic perspective view of the bracing system employed to guard against racking,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the gripping handle v I Referring to Fig. 1, of the drawings, A. represents the frame of a bedstead comprising a head end 2, a foot end 3 and side rails a secured at their ends to both ends of the bed a suitable distance from the floor.

Supported on the frame and constituting pins 9 and 10 journaled in the sections D and C respectively.

The head section B comprises two parallel side bars 11 joined at their upper ends by a cross rail pivotaliy supporting a pillow stop 12. The lower ends of the side bars 11 are joined together by a downwardly bent cross bar 11', having forwardly projecting lugs 13 between which is swingingly suspended a counter-weight 14, the weight having ercentrically disposed pins journaled in said lugs.

The pivot pins 7 are firmly secured in the sides 11 and are located a comparatively short distance from the weight 14 with re spent to the length of the side bars 11, so as to form a fulcrum for the section B.

Firmly secured ,on the side bar 11 and axially paralleling the pins 7, are the headed studs or pins 10 adapted. to freely enter the notch 15 at the rearward ends of the side bars 16 of the intermediate section 0.

The stud 10 is located suitably near the fulcrum 7 so as to effect a powerful leverage in the side bars 11 of the head section so that a gentle rearward leaning of the trunkof the occu ant the upper portion of the head section will cause the latter to move rearwardly about its pivot, thereby prying up the rearward end of the intermediate section C, simultaneously raising the lower portion of the trunk and lowering the upper portion thereof.

'As the trunk approaches the horizontal or position of rest, the required muscular energy to maintain a steady slow receding movement .increases materially as is well known, it being difficult, when in a sitting posture, to maintain the trunk at an acute angle for a long period of time.

-. To prevent any irritating muscular exerend of the frame, serve to assist the weight in its function and. to give stability to the parts to prevent rattling.

On the side bars 11 with the pivot pin 7 as a center are the toothed segments 18 cooperating with the spring latch 19 to lock the head section to the frame in any desired angular position, the latch having a shoulder 20 against which the spring 21 abuts, tending constantly to press the latch into engagement with the teeth of the segments 18. An eye on the latch serves as a point of attachment for the cord or wire 22 which in turn is secured to a downwardly projecting arm 23 on a transverse horizontal rock shaft 24 journaled on the frame. a 7

An upwardly extending lever arm 25 rigidly carried by said rock shaft has cord connection 26 with a spring 27 attached to the frame adjacent the head end of the bedstead.

The lever arm 25 and the spring 27 ar arranged to bring the cord 26 adjacent and above the side rails 4 where it leads from the foot to the'head of the bedstead, so thatthe occupant in a recumbentposition may grasp the cord at any convenient point and ull it to actuate the latch 19, thereby ren ering the head section B free to move at the slightest effort on the part-of the occupant to change position.

A handle 41 fitting adapted to be slid thereon is provided with a fulcrumed dog 42 having a spring 43 to cause the nose of the dog to impin e on the cord. Thus, the handle may be sli as indicated by the arrow (Fig. 9) so that the occupant may repeatedly take new holds on the cord as'he raises himself.

The forward end of the intermediate section wh ch comprises two side bars suitably braced 1s, as hereinbefore explained, pivotally connected with the foot section D and is rolli'ngly fulcrumed on the rollers 28 of which there one on each side of the frame, the foot section D (comprising two side bars around the cord and I zontal position they rest on the stops 31 on I either side of the frame A, the roller being flush at its top with the top of said stops. Suitable guide irons 32 are provided to guide section D during movement.

The weight of the occupant on the intermediate section C, holds the slot 15 in engagement with the stud 10 so that the sec tions C and D when actuated will bend and rise at the pivotal point 9 thereby slightly bending the lower limbs.

If however it is desired to hold the lower limbs in straight position, the occupant may insert the lock pins 33 conveniently hung on the frame into the registering openings 34 in the frame and the side bars of section C, whereby the latter is locked against movement as shown in Fig.3 wherein the head section is shown in raised osition and the other sections in normal horizontal position.

To enable the occupant to assist with his hands in raising himself, two pulleys 34 and 35 are suitably mounted on the frame at the head of the bedstead and a third pulley 36 at the foot thereof. A cord 37 operates over the pulleys and is attached to an eye 38 on the cross bar 11; the cord being held tau-t in the same manner as is the cord 26 by a ties 40 (shownin Figs. 1 and 7) can be-employed, that type of spring being bendable 'at the pivots without disturbing its resiliency.' All of the sections are suitably braced and tied (Fig. 8) by downwardly bent cross rods -or tubes, the typical end constructionof which is shown in Fig. 7. The downward bend in the rods provides clearance for the sagging of the 'bed spring under a load. v

In operation the occupant grasps the cords 26 and 37 as hereinbefore described and raises himself as far as he-is able with as connected by a foot piece) being pivotally one effort, whereafter the lat h c rd, is released and the head! section thereby locked when the operation is repeated until the desired posture has been secured.

I claim:

1. In an invalid bed, in combination with a frame, of a pivotally jointed body support pivotally hung on said frame and comprising a plurality of sections including a fulcrumed head section, locking means for said head section to lock it to said frame and actuation means for said locking means ad jacent the Side of said frame and extending approximately the length thereof so as to be within reach of the occupant from any point forward of said head section.

2. In an invalid bed, in combination with a frame having rollers, of a bendable body support pivota-lly hung in said frame and engaging said rollers and comprising a plurality of sections including a head section all pivotally joined together and adapted to move in unison when said body support is supporting a body and is moved, the pivotal connection of said head section with the adjacent section being separable, and locking means for locking against movement all of the sections except said head section for thev purpose specified.

3. In an invalid bed, in combination, a frame, a body support comprising three sections pivotally joined together in a row, one of the end sections extending below its piv otal connection, said body support having pivotal support on the frame, pulleys on the frame, and a cord attached to said extension on One of the end sections and opcrating over said pulleys to be directed thereby to the foot end of the bed and above and at one side of the frame, Wherefrom said cord leads rearwardly to the head end of the bed where it is with the frame.

4. In an invalid bed of the class described, in combination with a frame having side rails, of a movable body support normally in horizontal locked position, comprising three sections including a head and foot sec-tion pivotally connected together in a row. the head and foot sections being pivotally supported on said frame, hand operable means for releasing and holding released said body support, and means on the frame within reach of and operable by the occupant of the bed from any point forward of said head section and operatively connected with the latter for moving said head section about its pivotal support on the frame when said body support is held released.

5. In an invalid bed of the class described, in combination with a frame, of a movable body support. comprising three sections inyieldingly connected cluding a head and foot section pivotally connected together in a row, the pivotal connection between the head section and the middle section being separable, the head and foot sections having pivotal connections with said frame, and cooperating locking means on said frame and said middle section to effect a separation in said separable connection when the frame and middle section are locked together and said head section is moved.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUIDO ARRIGONI.

Witnesses GEORGE VOELKER, F. WINKLER. 

